1. Field of the Invention
The present technology relates to a detecting device, a detecting circuit, a sensor module and an image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A detecting device, having a micro bridge structure and availing of thermal conductivity, is widely known as a detecting device for detecting a status of the atmosphere such as humidity.
As for a specific structure of the detecting device, in Japanese Patent Gazette No. 3124609, for example, a disclosed structure includes a heating resistor (heating element pattern) formed on a cavity portion in a substrate through an insulator thin-film having a bridge supported portion.
The detecting device, having such structure, detects variances of voltage indicating variances of thermal conductivity, responsive to a status of the atmosphere in the vicinity of the heating element pattern, when the heating element is heated to high temperature, thereby generating a signal relating to the status of the atmosphere. Here, a signal relating to the status of the atmosphere includes a temperature component as well as a humidity component. Thus, a signal, which relates to only temperature, is required to be generated in order to distinguish the temperature component from the humidity component.
Therefore, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Gazette No. 3124609, a signal relating to temperature has been generated by detecting variances of resistance indicating variances of voltage, responsive to variances of temperature of the heating element pattern. The heating element is heated to room temperature. Then, the signal relating to the status of the atmosphere is corrected based on the signal relating to temperature, and thereby a desired signal relating to the status of the atmosphere (such as humidity) is generated.
However, in a case where the signal relating to temperature is generated using the heating element pattern in the detecting device as disclosed in Japanese Patent Gazette No. 3124609, current supplied to the heating element has to be kept small so that the heating element does not heat itself. Then, the variance of voltage of the heating element pattern becomes small making it difficult to generate the signal relating to temperature with high sensitivity, and to generate the signal relating to the status of the atmosphere, which is corrected based on the signal relating to temperature, with high precision.